


Weißer Ritter

by lilacSkye



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Ren and Nora are there as well but they're only mentioned, Ruby is too, Weiss is hopelessly smitten, and Qrow knows it, awkward first kisses, background Bumblebee, he also loves to sass Weiss, i suck at summaries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-10-22 14:05:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10698555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacSkye/pseuds/lilacSkye
Summary: Weiss finally manages to reach for Ruby and what remains of team JNPR in Mistral. After ten months spent apart, she finally has the chance to see her friend again and, maybe, just maybe, her hidden feelings might actually be reciprocated. At the same time, Qrow has a very special mission in store for her that she just can't refuse.





	1. Chapter 1

They had stayed in Mistral for a week already, and Ruby was starting to fidget impatiently.  
  
She knew that Qrow still needed to rest up a bit more after that close call with the scorpion-faunus weirdo -- the thought still made her eyes prickle with unspilled tears, even after the doctor had profusely reassured her that her beloved uncle would be perfectly fine, if only he stopped drinking -- and she still managed to fill her days sparring with the rest of the team, sure, but she couldn't bear the idea of wasting time when they were so close to their goal.  
  
Today was no different: Ruby and Jaune had spent most of the afternoon sparring together, while Nora and Ren were busy resupplying, and after a particularly exhausting session they had agreed to come back to the inn a bit earlier than usual.  
  
They had been chatting so animatedly about how they were improving and what more they could do to better be able to handle threats as dangerous as Cinder or Tyrian that Ruby failed to notice the person that was causing a ruckus at the counter until she almost walked into them.  
  
When their eyes met, she felt the world stop all of a sudden, and all air left her lungs. The dark thoughts that had been weighing heavily on her mind vanished as her pulse picked up and her vision was fogged by the tears quickly welling in her eyes. In her trance, she almost didn't hear Jaune's surprised squeak when he recognized the familiar face.  
  
"Weiss?"  
  
  
\---  
  
  
The obtusity of some people was truly, frustratingly outstanding, Weiss thought angrily as the accursed innkeeper refused her request for the third time. She could tell that he was slightly intimidated by her vicious glare -- she had trained for years to perfectly master the widely known Schnee glare, and she had to admit it had come in handy more than once -- but still foolishly refused to relent.  
  
Weiss knew that the guy was just trying to do his job, to protect his guests' privacy. She also knew that if she were to reveal her full name he wouldn't hesitate to throw himself at her feet and beg for forgiveness, possibly offering the spare keys to all the rooms, completed by a detailed list of all the guests currently staying over.  
  
It made her sick and angry to no end.  
  
"Fine! Be that way!" She blurted out as she sharply spun on her heels and almost toppled down whatever poor soul had the misfortune to cross her path while she was this outraged.  
  
However, her fury instantly melted like snow in the sunlight when she laid her eyes on the girl in front of her, taking in her appearance. She blinked once, twice, and when the figure didn't disappear she found herself fighting back tears she had sworn she would not shed.  
  
"Ruby." Weiss breathed, her voice coming out as barely more audible than a strangled whisper. In the blink of an eye, a burst of crimson petals filled her vision and she was suddenly pulled into what was possibly the tightest hug she had ever experienced. She felt Ruby tremble against her, as if she was trying to stifle a sob against Weiss' neck, and the usual protectiveness she had developed for this dolt kicked in again. She locked her arms around Ruby's waist, pulling her even closer and relishing in her warmth.  
  
They were squashed so close to each other that she could feel how Ruby's body had changed over this past year they spent apart: where there used to be lean, thin lines now there were finely toned muscles, twitching and shifting with Ruby's each movement.  
  
It was indeed a distraction, but it had also reminded her that Ruby,as well as the rest of their friends, had spent months fighting and struggling to stay alive, while the most Weiss had done had been picking up a different outfit each day, and attending a few, horrible parties with the rest of Atlas' elite society. All because she hadn't been strong enough to fight back her father when he personally came to take her back to Atlas.  
  
Father had never come for her before. He would always send someone on his behalf to get Weiss to do what he wanted her to.  
  
The shame she had been feeling ever since the initial adrenaline rush that followed her escape had faded now came back, like a tidal wave, crashing over her and threatening to make her drown. She hardly managed to swallow the sudden, bitter lump in her throat and begrudging disentagled herself from Ruby's grip. Ruby relented and took a step back, close but allowing Weiss enough space to calm down, her silver eyes shining with unbound joy above her flushed cheeks, like dewdrops scattered on the first rose blossoms of spring.  
  
The little, weird, childish girl she had met in Emerald Forest was no more. In her place a beautiful young woman had bloomed, leaving Weiss struggling to catch her breath.  
  
Fortunately, though, Jaune decided to have mercy on her and chose that moment to clear his throat, suddenly reminding her that they were not alone. An uncomfortable heat sprayed on her cheeks as she noticed the curious stares of the other patrons around them.  
  
"Hey, Weiss."  
  
"Hello, Jaune." She greeted him back. She immediately noticed he looked way different from what she remembered: though he was smiling at her, it didn't quite reach his eyes like it used to, and the faintest trace of stubble dusted his chin and jaw. Paradoxically enough, he looked more attractive now than ever.  
  
Jaune looking tired and quite jaded didn't come as a surprise; all things considered, he was the one who had lost and suffered the most when... when Beacon fell to the Grimm. It was painfully clear that even if he was trying to keep it together for the sake of his team, deep inside he was still deep in grievance, the wound in his heart still open and throbbing and painful.  
  
"Didn't expect to run into you, of all people! How did you even know where we were?" Jaune enveloped her in a quick, one armed hug, which she gracefully accepted and returned. It was friendly and detached at the same time, totally void of any of the flirty attitude she had found so insufferable back at school.  
  
Jaune was nice guy, maybe a clumsy doofus, but kind-hearted. Weiss was just sad he didn't get to have the happy ending he deserved.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I want to know too!" Ruby chirped happily as she gestured at Weiss to follow her upstairs, waving a wordless 'it's fine' to the rather confused man behind the counter.  
  
"Winter mentioned you wished to speak with professor Lionheart." Weiss explained, "I just made my way over to Mistral as quickly as I could."  
  
She just hoped this would be enough to sate their curiosity. It seemed to work just fine with Ruby -- or perhaps she didn't buy it, but was tactful enough to avoid pressing too much -- whereas Jaune didn't look too convinced.  
  
"Does your father know you're here?"  
  
As she always did whenever Jaques Schnee was mentioned, Weiss felt her blood run cold. She had, in fact, tried to picture the man's reaction to her ultimate betrayal several times, and she was sure that she wasn't going to be forgiven as long as she lived.  
It was a rather terrifying thought, to be completely honest, not having a place to claim as home, or someone to call family, even if she were to survive the upcoming war.  
Her eyes shifted and landed on Ruby, smiling fondly at her from over her shoulder, and the knot in Weiss' throat loosened. A pleasant warmth, a feeling she had all but forgotten while trapped in that white cage of a manor, filled her chest and she found herself smiling foolishly back without even knowing. Maybe, just maybe, she finally had a family worth fighting for.  
  
"I ran from that place." The words forced their way out of her mouth, cool and harsh and unwavering. Both Ruby and Jaune gaped at her, clearly not expecting this from always prim and proper Weiss Schnee. Their surprise only fueled her pride, to the point that she allowed her lips to curl up in a cocky grin. "I decided I don't belong there."  
  
Jaune whistled and Ruby laughed. "Oh man, that's so hardcore! That's my Weiss!"  
  
Finally they came to a stop in front of a pretty non-descript wooden door; Ruby rummaged through her satchel and pulled out a key. She twisted into the keyhole and pushed it open. Weiss promptly followed her inside, but stopped when she noticed Jaune lingering on the threshold, suddenly looking uneasy.  
  
"Jaune?"  
  
"W-well... I think I'll go crash at Ren and Nora's room, I'm sure that the two of you have a lot to _catch up_ to." Jaune stammered, scratching the back of his head as he always did whenever he was feeling uncomfortable. Weiss blushed, catching the underlying implication in his words. Was she really so obvious?  
Now worried, she glanced at Ruby, but the younger girl didn't give any sign to have grasped what Jaune had actually meant, for which she didn't know if she should feel grateful or frustrated.  
  
"But... this _is_ your room too..." Ruby pointed out, confused. Weiss' heart faltered as she indeed noticed a second bed pushed to the other side of the room. Her Schnee upbringing screamed bloody murder in her ears, but she also reasoned that the two of them had been travelling together for several times, and most likely were used to sleep side by side and share their personal space.  
  
It still did not do anything to quell her wish to grab the red cloth tied at his waist and use it to wringle his neck.  
  
Jaune recoiled further behind, probably taking notice of Weiss' less than friendly glower, raising his hands in surrender.  
  
"Oh please, Ruby, I slept for days over a rock, I don't mind a comfortable floor. See you later for grabbing dinner when the others are back? Okay, cool!"  
  
And before either of them could do anything, he shut the door closed and disappeared to some other room a few doors away, if the sound of his footsteps had to be believed. There was a moment of silence, in which the two girls processed that they were in the same room, alone. Then Ruby turned to her, the tiniest frown marring her brow.  
  
"You didn't have to scare him that way, you know? He's a nice boy."  
  
Irked and with her pride injured, Weiss squawked indignantly and crossed her arms tightly across her chest. "I did _not_ , thank you very much."  
  
Ruby snorted, amused. "You definitely did."  
  
She walked past Weiss towards the bed that sat against the eastern wall and plopped herself down so heavily that the mattress bounced under her weight. After a few moments she looked up at Weiss, mildly confused, and patted the spot beside her. "Well? Sit down?"  
  
Weiss slowly made her way to said piece of furniture and carefully perched herself on the edge of the bed, sitting straight and taut as if ready to bolt back on her feet on a moment's notice. Ruby half-sighed and half-laughed and next thing Weiss knew she was being tackled down and fully sprawled on the mattress, with the other girl hovering over her, her indignified protests melting with Ruby's wild laughter. They struggled with each other, and Weiss finally gave up resisting when the mischievous devil found her sensitive spot and launched a full-flegded tickle assault. They laughed and laughed, breathless and freely, until they both had to stop to wipe away the tears from the corner of their eyes.  
  
Suddenly, Ruby gently leaned down and rested her forehead against Weiss' collarbone, her hair cascading down to completely hide her face from Weiss.  
  
"I can't believe you're actually here." It was so quiet that Weiss had to strain her hearing to make out the words. "I always hoped, but never really believed I would see you again."  
  
"Dolt." Weiss shifted slightly and carefully hooked a finger under Ruby's chin and lifted it up. "I made a promise, didn't I? To be the best partner you'd ever see? Did you think I was joking?"  
  
Ruby's lips visibly trembled as they curled into a tight smile and her eyes filled with tears once again. When a teardrop threatened to fall down Weiss wiped it delicately with the pad of her thumb.  
  
"But... why?"  
  
Weiss bristled, not really expecting such a cryptic question. "What?"  
  
Ruby closed her eyes, seemingly struggling to find the right words. She then let herself slide down on the bed to Weiss' side, looking exhausted.  
  
"Why are you here? It's dangerous, much more than what Beacon trained us for! These guys are insanely strong! The dude that attacked us the other day... we would have been goners if Qrow hadn't shown up, and even he had a hard time fending that guy off. I don't... I don't want to involve you too. We... already lost so much." Their eyes met again, and for the first time Weiss could see the terror lingering inside Ruby, the fear of losing a loved one once more, the fear she always used to hide beneath her brightest smiles. It made Weiss' chest ache with the desire to kiss those fears away. "I can't lose you too."  
  
Weiss took a moment to regain her composure and calm down, lest she messed up and in a single moment ruined the cherished friendship with one of the people that mattered the most to her in the whole world. She sat up, looking around the room, taking in the simple, but appropriate decor.  
  
"And," she began, carefully pondering her words, "how do you expect me to just go back to Atlas, knowing that my friends are out there, fighting for the sake of our lives, while I can't help?"  
  
"Weiss..."  
  
"I want to fight too." Weiss cut her off, barely choking back a sob. "I can't just stay on the sidelines, watching you, or Jaune, or anyone, die. I just can't. I thought you, of all people, would understand."  
  
Ruby stared at her, wide eyed, lips parted in surprise at the sudden outburst. In a fit of courage, Weiss grabbed her hand and held it tight in her own, bringing it to rest against her chest. She was sure Ruby could feel her heart pounding wildly against Weiss' ribcage beneath her fingers. "Please. Let me fight alongside you."  
  
Ruby didn't answer immediately. She slowly pulled back her hand from Weiss' grasp and sat up as well, causing the older girl to panic inside, convinced she had at last let Ruby understand too much, committed the fatal mistake that would end their friendship.  
  
Feeling like her face had been set on fire, she ducked down, avoiding eye-contact. It was fine, she tried to convince herself, at least she had let Ruby know what she felt before it was too late. She had always feared she would repeat Pyrrha's mistake, to hold it back until it was too late.  
  
All of a sudden, a tender hand cradled her cheek and lifted up her face, and a pair of soft lips were gently pressed against her own, soft and warm. Weiss' eyes flew open in surprise, and she instinctly jerked back, only to curse inwardly at herself when she saw the look of pure horror on Ruby's flushed face.  
  
"Oh... oh gods... I'm sorry, I thought... I always wanted to do that and... oh, oh no..." she started rambling as Weiss stayed still and quiet, frozen, the heavenly sensation of Ruby's lips still lingering on her own. She managed to snap out of it just in time to prevent Ruby from getting back on her feet and propelling herself out of the room - away from her - at lightning speed.  
  
"Me too." She said, and Ruby abruptly froze, looking at her as though she had grown a second head. "I have always wanted to do that too."  
  
It wasn't as good as the carefully planned speech she had rehearsed over and over during her dreams, but, after all, she didn't really care. All that mattered was that they were both here, together, and Ruby just kissed her. She had never dared to even think about that happening.  
  
They both moved at the same time: with a soft thud their foreheads collided as a jolt of pain coursed through Weiss and she jerked back, hissing through her clenched teeth and hands clutching her head.  
  
"You dolt, you're supposed to stay still when someone leans in to kiss you!"  
  
Her complaining only made Ruby's howling laughter increase. "I could say the same about you!"  
  
"You're so impossible!" Weiss huffed without any actual bite in her voice. She was suddenly reminded of initiation day, when their lack of coordination had Weiss accidentally setting the forest on fire.  
  
She used to think she'd never accept this little kid as her partner, even less as her leader, and now she was desperately in love with her. Life truly was unpredictable.  
  
Ruby eventually calmed down from her border-line hysterical fit of laughter and leaned forward again, this time much slower, to give Weiss time to adjust and meet her halfway.  
  
The kiss wasn't perfect, at all, their noses bumped and it was obvious neither of them had no real clue of what they were supposed to do once their lips came in contact. If Yang were here, she'd laugh her butt off at how stiff and awkward they were.  
  
Still, it felt like heaven, and she unconsciously grimaced and lunged forward when Ruby made to pull away, seeking more of her warmth. When they parted again, they were both redder than Ruby's cape.  
  
"Was that good?" Ruby inquired, staring intently at Weiss, as if looking for some sign betraying a possible lie. Weiss smiled and nodded.  
  
"It was divine."  
  
"Oh thank the gods." Ruby immediately relaxed, throwing her head backwards. "I was scared that... I mean, I never..."  
  
"Neither did I."  
  
"O-oh... thought you did... you know, with Neptune, the ball..."  
  
"It didn't work out." Weiss remembered her silly crush on the boy from Mistral, but that was all there was to it, a passing crush. There had been no time to develop a true relationship that went beyond being just friends, unlike what happened with Ruby. Also, she really didn't appreciate how he would flirt with anything wearing a skirt. Except Jaune.  
  
Ruby took her hand again, holding with the same care and delicacy she would use to handle a fragile crystal.  
  
"So, what are we now?"  
  
"What do you want us to be?"  
  
Ruby took a moment to think, then beamed as if struck by a brilliant idea. "Hmm, partners?"  
  
"Duh." Weiss scoffed and playfully slapped Ruby's arm with her free hand, earning herself another fit of giggles. "You're really incorreggible."  
  
Ruby pressed another quick kiss to the tip of her nose and laughed.  
  
"But you love me nevertheless."  
  
  
\---  
  
  
She couldn't sleep. For what must have been the hundredth time that night, Weiss rolled on her side, staring at Ruby, deeply asleep beside her.  
  
Jaune had actually let her take his bed and opted to bunk up with Ren and Nora, in a fit of chivalry, and Ruby had happily proposed to move the beds closer so that they could spend their first night together - as in 'together together', as Nora would eloquently put it - side by side.  
  
She watched the regular rise and fall of Ruby's shoulder under the cocoon of blankets she had made around herself - Weiss secretly thanked all the gods it wasn't a double bed - as her mind swimmed, recounting everything the others had revealed to her over dinner, of Salem and the relics, of seasonal maidens and silver eyes that were famed to be able to vanquish the creatures of Grimm with only a look.  
  
She felt her chest constrict as she remembered the flash of freezing light coming up from the top of the tower, where Weiss herself had sent Ruby, alone, to square off against Cinder. If only she hadn't, perhaps now Ruby wouldn't be targeted by Salem's underlings. Perhaps she wouldn't have been thrown on the front line of this twisted war.  
  
She gritted her teeth as fury surged through her body, and barely managed to suppress the urge to throw her pillow against the wall. Ruby was too kind-hearted to realize, maybe, but Weiss had spent a life being put on a pedestal, educated to satisfy high standards and uphold a legacy she didn't ask for; she knew what Ozpin had tried to do when he accepted Ruby at Beacon two years too early.  
  
He wanted to use her, her skills and heritage, to make her a hero in the eyes of the people. Or a martyr.  
  
Suddenly overwhelmed, Weiss carefully slid out of bed, slipped on her shoes and made her way to the door as quietly as she could. Ruby snorted louder when the handle clicked, making Weiss' heart flip and skip a few beats, but then her breath evened out and Weiss was finally able to exit the room.  
  
She walked briskly and quietly, suddenly remembering the night of her escape from the manor. It seemed so long ago now, in the light of all this new information. She wondered if Winter knew of any of this.  
  
As expected, Weiss found her target sitting alone at the bar, a flask in his hand as his only companion.  
  
"Well, if that isn't the Ice Princess herself," Qrow Branwen addressed her without even turning around, the epitome of rudeness. "Isn't it quite past Her Highness' bedtime?"  
  
She decided to gracefully ignore his less than amusing jabs. "You are the one who told Winter you were staying in Mistral, aren't you?"  
  
In response, he barked out a mirthless laugh. "Maybe, maybe not. Let's just say I was hoping for a certain princess to finally show up. Took her long enough." He took a huge gulp of whatever disgusting alcoholic concoction was contained in that flask and finally turned to face her. She wasn't acquainted enough with the man to be able to tell for certain, but he didn't look good. Sure enough, if he spent most of his nights awake and drinking instead of resting up - like any other sensible person would do - he was bound to take time to recover fully.  
  
"I made my way over here as soon as I could." She coolly replied.  
  
"Sure you did, princess." Gods, he truly was insufferable. The way he kept referring to her with that stupid epithet was really starting to get on her nerves. "I suppose you have questions you want ask to this dusty, old crow, don't you?" He smirked knowingly, and she never desired to be at Winter's level of skill as she did now. This man didn't even know what respect _meant_.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, biting back the scathing retort sitting on the tip of her tongue. "Yes, actually."  
  
He shrugged and leaned back against the counter behind him. She noticed he took particular care not to stress too much his right side, where the faunus had managed to land a hit. "Well then, fire away."  
  
That was all Weiss needed. She squared back her shoulders and glared at him. To his credit, he looked utterly unfazed.  
  
"What the hell are you and Ozpin planning?" Her voice lowered to an angry whisper, "Aren't you Ruby's family? Shouldn't you protect her, shield her away from this mess, rather than toss her right in the middle of it?"  
  
With a pang of devious satisfaction, she saw the accursed smirk vanish from the older man's face, quickly replaced by a scowl. She would die before admitting it, but the way his red eyes glinted with fury and something else - sorrow? - was indeed intimidating.  
  
They reminded her of Yang's. But much, much colder and unsettling.  
  
"Aren't you quick with your assumptions, Schnee?" There it was, the cold venom dripping from his voice as he called her by her last name, harsh like a swing of the humongous sword resting against the counter at his feet. She remembered listening to Ruby talking excitedly about that weapon, and how it had been the main inspiration for her own Crescent Rose. She wondered if Qrow had been the one teaching her to handle a scythe so perfectly. "Do you think I never hoped she wouldn't awake her powers, making herself a sentient target for Salem's forces?"  
  
She wasn't honestly expecting such bitterness from a guy that, until a few minutes ago, looked so laid-back. She stiffened and waited, watching as he gingerly picked his flask, uncapped it, stared at it longingly as if he wished to drown himself in it, and took yet another gulp. Weiss subconsciously admired the apparently endless capacity of that tiny bottle.  
  
"But no, she did," he went on, voice low and dangerous like the rumble of a quickly brewing storm, "and now she's as deep into this mess as I am. The best I can do is to train her so she can have better chances to survive, and push her out of danger's way when things get a little too heated."  
  
"Doesn't look you had much success on that field recently."  
  
She immediately regretted her words as soon as they left her lips. Certain she would be striked for her impudence, she steeled herself for the incoming blow. However, it never came: he simply chuckled, a mirthless, miserable sound that sent chills down her spine.  
  
"Well, you're not wrong. I am starting to become a slow, old fart. And that's where you come into play." He pointed at her with a surprisingly steady finger for the staggering amount of alcohol he'd been swallowing so carelessly. "There will come a time when I won't be able to pull her back to safety. In that case, I want you to watch her back and make sure she survives, and that she will not be alone."  
  
Weiss' eyes widened in shock as silence stretched and the words slowly sank in. She didn't know what to be more bewildered for: the fact that he didn't think to survive the conflict or that he was entrusting such an important task to her.  
  
"You... you're asking me to take up the mantle if you were to fall in battle." She spoke slowly, processing exactly what he was asking of her. If Ruby had been here she'd have a fit. Qrow grinned, apparently satisfied.  
  
"Bingo. You're head over heels for her, aren't you? Oh, please, it's really fucking obvious," he deadpanned when she tried to protest and deny, "and it's just as obvious she feels the same for you. Weren't you two making out earlier?"  
  
She had thought she couldn't possibly blush more intensely than what she did when she kissed Ruby. Turned out she was horribly wrong.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with that," Qrow kept teasing her, probably to see how much she could take before she exploded. "I bet those skirts must be comfortable for this kind of thing, you just need to flip--"  
  
"I'll do it!!" She all but bellowed, her voice echoing back through the empty room. Fists clenched at her sides, her head hung low and blushing furiously, she took a deep, shaky breath. "I'll do it." She repeated, lowering her voice.  
  
Even without looking, she knew Qrow was staring at her, evaluating her and wondering if she really was up to the task.  
  
"I promise to look after her," she straightened up and lifted her gaze, holding his pierceful stare. "Whatever happens, I'll stay by her side."  
  
"Such big words, Schnee." He sneered. With a graceful, fluid motion that should be impossible for a man with that much alcohol in his system, he slid down the stool and picked up his weapon.  
  
Weiss' heart picked up its pace, fear settling in in the pit of her stomach, but she pushed it back and reached for Myrtenaster at her waist. If he wanted a practical try, she was more than happy to let him have a taste of what she could do. A tiny, treacherous voice inside her head warned her that she would have never been able to take him on when she was constantly training at Beacon, let alone now. After all, this was a man who could stand toe to toe - if not even be a little better - with Winter, and she knew she was still nowhere near Winter in terms of skill, swordsmanship especially.  
  
She quickly silenced it as she kept her stance, weapon at the ready to par an eventual swing and strike back as fast as she could.  
  
To her surprise, he instead placed back the heavy sword in its holster across his back.  
  
"Fine. I believe you. Would have never thought I'd be saying this to a Schnee, but you got some spunk there, girl. I like you." Qrow said as he sidestepped her. She could smell the disgusting stench of alcohol wafting from him and her stomach churned, but she didn't back down, not even when his hand landed heavily on her shoulder. "Now go to bed, Weiss, tomorrow is going to be a tough day."  
  
  
\---  
  
  
Weiss watched Ruby sleep beside her, unperturbed and utterly calm. She brushed away a lock of reddish hair that had fallen over the younger girl's eyes, tucking it gently behind her earshell.  
  
She had spoken up in the heat of the moment before, but now that she had cooled down she was even more sure of it: she was ready to do anything to keep Ruby safe.  
  
"If I have to be your knight in shining armor, then so be it." She whispered as she took hold of Ruby's hand and entwined their fingers together, pressing a light kiss to Ruby's knuckles. Ruby stirred ever so slightly, mumbled something unintelligible, but otherwise gave no other sign of awakening. Weiss smiled.  
  
"I love you, Ruby."  
  
  
\---  
  
  
Unseen, a crow stood perched on the tree branch just outside the window, observing the two girls slumbering peacefully side by side, their hands clasped tightly together. It cawed, satisfied, as if wishing for luck to assist them for the dark days that lurked in the shadows.  
  
With a rustle of leaves and dark feathers and a last glance at the two young women, beacons of hope for a brighter future, it took flight and disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years later, it's time for Weiss to really keep true to her word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg, this was supposed to be a one shot, but then this scene popped up on my mind and wouldn't leave me alone. So here have a very bad, crappy part two! I'm fairly sure that with part three this work should be really done for good, but we'll see how that plays out XD In the meanwhile, hope you enjoy!  
>   
> TW: Blood and Gore, Character Death (not major, but not minor either), Graphic Description of Violence. Please tell me if I forgot anything else!

They were close.  
  
Ruby could feel it in her bones ever since she and her team had first set foot on the shore of this desolated island, well away from the four kingdoms borders and apparently reigned by Grimm. Salem's hideout _had_ to be there, and Cinder with her. Two years might have passed since that fateful night that irremediably changed their lives, but that did not mean Ruby had forgotten the great cost they had paid, and she was sure neither of her friends had as well. If anything, time made their desire to avenge Pyrrha's death even stronger, like a long-acting poison that grew more and more powerful the longer it coursed through the body.  
  
And now, as she stared at Emerald falling to her knees, winded after a well aimed kick Ruby had landed into her stomach that dropped the older woman's aura below critical levels, now was time to finally start going through with it. Several feet behind her, she could hear the sound of her teammates clashing against Mercury and Neo. She inwardly berated herself; she was alone now, and she was the leader, she could not possibly let them shoulder the burden in her place. It was her responsibility and hers alone.  
  
Ruby took a breath, steeling herself for what she had to do. She didn't like the idea of killing anything that was not a creature of Grimm, to be honest, but long gone were the days of innocence, when they could afford the luxury to pick their battles and spare the enemy from the fatal blow that would extinguish their life.  
  
No, this was war, and it was cruel, merciless. It was kill or be killed. She could not let her emotions take control and still her hand.  
  
And yet, _yet_ she kept having flashbacks of the Vytal Festival, of Emerald and Mercury cracking jokes and laughing with team RWBY between a match and the other. They had hung out together, showed them around the city. They had _fun_. How could that have been only a huge lie?  
  
Ruby closed her eyes, releasing a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding, and raised Crescent Rose, ready to activate her Semblance and cleave off the other woman's head in a fast, single movement, as to reduce her suffering to the minimum; at the same time Emerald finally lifted her chin - but did not stand up again - and smirked.  
  
"You act all grown up and strong, but I see you're still the annoying and naive child as you were back then. And just like then, your efforts will be in vain. You won't be able to save anything. Again."  
  
Despite the raspy voice, Emerald's words cut like a sword being thrust into her chest all the way to the hilt, pulled out and then shoved in all over again. Ruby's mind was flooded with memories of Pyrrha, Penny, Qrow, Winter, Goodwitch and many more - too many - that Ruby had not managed to save as the war's dark, blood stained scythe kept reaping victim after victim over time, firm and precise in Salem's pale hand.  
  
All of a sudden, a huge, bitter lump had lodged itself at the back of her throat, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't swallow it down.  
  
"You're right, I couldn't save them." Ruby inhaled deeply and gripped Crescent Rose even more tightly, to the point that her knuckles turned white and her fingertips soon started to feel numb. "Which is why I'll stop you now. And your boss right after you."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Emerald scoffed mockingly, barely suppressing a wince as she finally lifted herself to her feet, stumbling ever so slightly and clutching her injured side. Ruby saw her crimson eyes flicker to the side, where her weapons lay abandoned, no doubt wondering if she could lunge and grab them without Ruby intercepting her. "Please, spare me the spiel. We both know you don't have what it takes to do it."  
  
Ruby grit her teeth as Emerald's jabs effortlessly struck the spots where her confidence faltered and wavered, as though she could easily read Ruby's mind and take advantage of the dark thoughts and doubts that had been plaguing her sleeping hours for months.  
  
She wasn't a fool, she knew she was not a perfect huntress like her mom was. It was ultimately her fault Winter Schnee had fallen as she valiantly fought a vast group of Grimm and White Fang members led by Adam Taurus, just to give Ruby time to escape from the trap they had sprung on her. Even now, if she focused, she could almost hear Winter's last words, primly begging her to take care of Weiss in her stead as an enormous, white glyph gleamed beneath Ruby's feet at the faintest flourish of Winter's hand and a silvery Nevermore rose up in the air, talons gripping the struggling girl tightly as it inexorably carried her away from the upcoming battle.  
  
Her relationship with Weiss had been strained ever since then.  
  
Weiss hadn't screamed when team RWBY finally regrouped far away from Mistral - now turned into a full fledged war zone - nor she had cried when Ruby explained what had happened, tears flooding like rivers across her cheeks. She had simply nodded solemnly and wrapped her arms around Ruby in a hug that was all too quick to be honest, and a mumbled "I'm glad you're safe," that Ruby didn't believe for a second.  
  
More than six months had passed, and still they barely spoke to each other.  
  
"I'm not going to cower away anymore." Ruby grumbled, forcing herself to wake up from her reminiscence. She refused to let Emerald get away because, yet again, Ruby failed to seal the deal. She had grown.  
  
"Oh yes, sure. Which is why you're hesitating so much to kill me for good while your friends are having a hard time keeping my other partners out of your way." Emerald glanced at some spot behind Ruby and whistled, apparently very amused from whatever she was seeing. Ruby had to fight to avoid turning as well, an amateur mistake that Emerald would be all too happy to exploit and hold against her. She could only trust in her friends and hope for the best.  
  
Emerald's smirk grew, and Ruby's heart sank.  
  
"You and your girlfriend made peace before this, I hope? Cause if Neo keeps this up, you're not going to get another chance."  
  
That was all Ruby needed to lose it. As something akin to fire, but cold as ice, spread within her chest, dissolving her doubts and hesitation, silver tears shimmered in her eyes. She was not going to lose anyone else, she swore on her life. And if Emerald stood on her way then she could just die.  
  
Suddenly overwhelmed by the primal desire to shred the older woman to pieces and hurry to Weiss' aid, she clutched her scythe with both hands and leapt, leaving behind a trail of rose petals when her Semblance kicked in. In a heartbeat, everything else that wasn't Emerald turned black, utterly non existent to Ruby as she raised her scythe and swung at--  
  
The world stopped when silver eyes met bewildered sapphire ones.  
  
"Ruby?" Weiss asked, caught off guard, eyes wide and suddenly full of doubt and fear, and Ruby felt a sharp pain stabbing through her chest. She didn't want Weiss to fear her ever. "What are you doing?"  
  
This was bad. This was extremely bad because Ruby knew it could not possibly be Weiss, who had been covering for her the whole time, but at the same time she just couldn't bring herself to sever her neck in cold blood, that beautiful neck Ruby had nuzzled and kissed more times than she could count, that offered her a place where she could just forget about all the mess around them and bask in Weiss' lovely warmth.  
  
For the first time in her life, Crescent Rose felt too heavy, impossible to hold. It faltered, and Ruby tumbled down on the cold, hard ground in a a heap of red and black fabric, like a puppet whose strings were cut off all of a sudden. Her weapon flew away, skidding across the dusty surface until it came to a stop several feet away.  
  
Suddenly, she was powerless.  
  
In slow motion, she saw Weiss approach with quick steps, sapphire blue irises turning to ruby red, as a maniacal grin curved those rosy lips upwards, wide and malicious, an expression she never wished to see on Weiss' face.  
  
"See? I've always known you were weak." Weiss-not-Weiss said quietly. She raised Myrtenaster high above Ruby's head, their roles now reversed: Weiss-Emerald now ready to strike down and chop off Ruby's head in a single blow, and Ruby on the ground, unable to even try to fight for her life, too caught up in the illusion before her.  
  
Maybe she deserved it, Ruby thought wryly, to end up killed by Weiss. She couldn't deny she had been a massive disappointment under any possible aspect, be it a leader, a partner, a lover. She always scrambled, basing her action on her gut feeling and barely anything else, and made a mess of things, waiting for someone else to sweep in and clean up after her blunders, be it Weiss or Qrow.  
  
It was fine with her, she realized. Heck, in a sense, she was almost happy the last thing she got to see was her girlfriend, even if she was about to kill Ruby.  
  
So she closed her eyes, a single tear sliding across her cheek, and bowed her head, waiting.  
  
A sudden, impossibly intense white flash glimmered beyond her closed eyelids, and it startled her so hard she audibly gasped and opened her eyes again, and all she could see was white, glowing brightly like the moon on a clear sky.  
  
There was white, but then there was red, pulsing and slithering and swallowing the white, slowly but steadily, as blood dripped and soaked the sleeve of Weiss' coat. Ruby's eyes widened in shock when she caught sight of Myrtenaster shoved through Emerald's throat until it reached the hilt, the blade - usually spotless and perfectly polished - entirely covered in blood from where it had pierced through the older woman's neck in its entire width.  
  
"Weiss...?!?"  
  
Weiss, the real one, glanced down at her, her eyes alight with unbound, cold fury and her mouth pressed in a thin, extremely displeased line. Ruby saw several blood drops splattered across her cheek, as well as a newly formed bruise creeping up from beneath her coat collar onto her neck, most likely Neo's doing.  
  
But she would only notice all of that later, when she'd finally manage to break out of the spell those beautiful, outraged blue eyes had enchanted her in.  
  
Weiss flicked her head to the side, a silent "I'll deal with you later." that promised Ruby nothing but a storm as soon as they made it safely to a spot where they could hide and set camp. With a swift movement, she dislodged the sword from Emerald's pierced neck, as the woman fell to the ground, gurgling and convulsing uncontrollably, until her body finally fell limp onto the ground.  
  
Both Ruby and Weiss watched, nauseated and wary, the last moments of the woman flying away righy before their eyes as her life slowly slipped away from her grasp with each drop of blood that poured down from the gaping hole in the middle of her neck. When she stopped moving for good, Weiss gently poked at her body with the tip of her shoe. No response.  
  
"She's gone."  
  
Ruby let out a shaky breath and nodded, shell shocked by the fast progression of the events. Weiss' shoulders relaxed, her knees trembling as thought she was struggling to keep herself together. Myrtenaster slipped through her now loose, blood-stained fingers and fell to the ground with a deafening clatter.  
  
Then, a bellow tore through the air, causing both women to jump and turn at the same time.  
  
"EM!!"  
  
His own battle suddenly discarded as Yang was sent flying back by an insanely strong kick, Mercury shot himself at the two defenseless girls who had murdered his friend, and more precisely at Weiss, the desire for revenge crystal clear in the way his eyebrows were knitted together and his lips were open over bared teeth. He was so fast, and Weiss so drained after that last massive hastening glyph she had conjured out of sheer despair, that Weiss didn't even manage to summon a defensive glyph before he was on her. She was already scrunching her eyes closed, ready for the impact when a golden flash breezed past her, attached to a black string coming from somewhere above them.  
  
"NO, YOU WON'T!" Yang yelled, her prosthetic arm raised high and ready to make use of her momentum and her Semblance to smash Mercury's outstretched leg. There was a deafening crash, the screeching wail of metal against metal and of complex clogs and mechanism bending and snapping. Then the world shattered, and Mercury had vanished.  
  
"Goddamnit!!" Yang swore loudly and kicked a nearby stone, sending it shooting past like a bullet. "I almost got him! That little ice cream shit-"  
  
"Doesn't matter now, Yang." Blake gracefully leapt down from the tree she had climbed atop of. "We'll catch them another time. Now we gotta move and find a safe place. Are you two okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"  
  
She eyed the blood splattered all over Ruby and Weiss, then Emerald's motionless corpse. She hurried to look away.  
  
Finally, Ruby managed to regain some of her composure and nodded, slowly standing up on her feet and struggling not to stumble down. Her legs felt like they had turned into jelly and they just couldn't stay still.  
  
"I'm... fine." She managed to say after a few attempts where she couldn't do anything more than open and close her mouth without any sound coming out from it. "Weiss?"  
  
Said woman snapped out of her reverie and, for the first time in months, pinned her down with one of the most blood-chilling, withering glares in her - fairly vast - repertoire. Ruby had almost missed those ones.  
  
"You almost got killed."  
  
"Yyyeah, well, it didn't happen, so-" Ruby tried to put on a smile, as fake as it was, hoping she would just calm down, maybe roll her eyes and wave it off to her being irresponsible. She wasn't expecting her - Weiss Schnee, always prim and proper and logic incarnate - to _explode_.  
  
"You almost let her kill you!!" Weiss shrieked, insane with rage, her blue eyes glistening with tears, a stark contrast with the angry red that stained her cheeks. "Why the bloody hell did you hesitate?!?"  
  
Ruby was caught off guard by Weiss' shout and instinctively took a step back. She looked at Yang and Blake, but both didn't seem to notice her silent request for help, apparently appalled by what Weiss was saying.  
  
"She-"  
  
"You even bowed your head in defeat! Waiting for her to kill you! What the heck were you thinking?!?"  
  
In the four years she had known Weiss and periodically took her harsh scoldings, Ruby had never seen her like this: her face was flushed as if she had got badly sunburned, and she kept gesturing wildly, causing more and more of her hair to escape out of the already messy side ponytail she kept tying them with.  
  
She looked beyond herself, mad, as though some gate had finally been broken down and there just was no stopping to her fury; Ruby's felt her chest constricting painfully. She just didn't _understand_.  
  
"She was _YOU!!_ " Ruby yelled when she couldn't take it anymore, choking back a loud sob. Her fists clenched tightly at her side, so tight that they were shaking and her fingernails were digging painful crescents into the palm of her hand. "I knew that it was an illusion but..."  
  
Pain seared through her nerves as a loud slap broke the newfound silence between them. Ruby was forced to turn to the side from the strength of the blow, clutching her stinging cheek with a hand. She heard Yang protest loudly, but Blake quickly shushed and restrained her, deeming appropriate for Ruby and Weiss to sort this through now. Hopefully quick enough to then find a safe place and lay low for a while.  
  
Ruby looked back to Weiss, confused and - not gonna lie - pretty hurt by her brash action, but all of that melted away when she saw tears freely cascading down Weiss' flushed cheeks and her lips trembling.  
  
"You idiot. You stupid idiot. You knew I was right behind you. You should have just gone for it, without focusing on unnecessary details."  
  
Before Ruby realized it and thus could do anything to prevent it, she found out she was crying as well. She shook her head.  
  
"It... was not unnecessary," Ruby sniffled and angriIy wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "I couldn't. I just... couldn't. I thought I deserved it, that you hated me for... for..." she didn't have the strength to say Winter's name out loud due to the many painful memories it brought forth with it. Luckily, Weiss seemed to understand: she grimaced at first, but then leaned in and delicately pressed a kiss to Ruby's forehead. Ruby bent forward a bit, to better allow the shorter woman to reach for her aimed spot.  
  
"You dolt. I never blamed you." Weiss whispered against Ruby's skin, soft and somber. "I just... needed to deal with it... I'm sorry it took this long."  
  
Ruby swore she heard a soft 'aww' coming from where she could see Yang and Blake were standing.  
  
"I'm sorry, Weiss... I'm so sorry. She was such a great person, and because of me, once again-"  
  
"Shh," Weiss cut her off, quickly reversing back to her usual practical self. "If you have time to think about this kind of foolishness, please just worry about ending this war once for all. It's all you need to focus on. We will take care of the rest." There was a poignant pause, in which Weiss stared at Ruby so intently that she felt like she was being seen through.  
Weiss suddenly grabbed Ruby's hand in her own - the one that wasn't literally drenched and dripping blood and gore - and clutched it tightly.  
  
"I will make sure nothing stands on your way."  
  
Weiss spoke with so much conviction and self confidence that Ruby could not help but believe her. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she threw her arms around Weiss' neck, not giving a damn about the quickly drying blood on Weiss' coat.  
  
Weiss protested weakly, but didn't pull away. On the contrary, she soon felt a pair of arms timidly rising and snaking around her waist, tight but not too much, keeping her in place.  
  
"Don't do that ever again, you dunce." Weiss' voice broke on the last word. Ruby nodded, not trusting herself to speak as relief blossomed and filled her chest. She was so happy to have this burden off her shoulders that she almost forgot the less than ideal conditions they were in, of Emerald lying lifelessly a mere feet away, of Yang and Blake watching the show from their first line seats and gushing over them as Ruby and Weiss finally solved their impasse.  
  
That is, until Blake coughed awkwardly, reminding the two entangled girls that they needed to wake up. Yang chuckled when Ruby scrunched up her nose as soon as she caught sight of the blood staining her shirt.  
  
"I'm glad you finally got your chance to talk and sort some things out-"  
  
"Man, if you hadn't I would have done it for you one of these days- okay, I'll shut up." Yang took a step back when Blake threw her a pointed glare.  
  
"But right now our reconnaissance mission just failed. I suggest to hurry up to find a safe spot to camp and rejoin with team JNR at the designated place."  
  
Weiss and Ruby exchanged a meaningful look and nodded. They picked their fallen weapons and Weiss even fished out a pristine white handkerchief from the breast pocket of her coat and ran it along the bloodied blade, wiping it clean as much as it was possible.  
  
"What do you think we should do with... her?" Weiss asked, not daring to look down at the corpse the blood on her blade used to belong to.  
  
"They already know what happened," Ruby darkly pointed out. "I'd say to not waste any time and just go on."  
  
All three of them agreed more or less openly with the idea. Yang even gave Ruby a thumbs up, accompanied by her usual trademark wide grin, although it looked more tired than most times.  
  
They quickly filed past the corpse, diving deeper in the dead forest they were ambushed into. Ruby, however, crouched down and looked at the fallen woman. Heaving a sigh, she passed a hand over Emerald's eyes, gently pushing them closed.  
  
"I'm sorry Emerald. We could have been friends. But you chose your partners-" Ruby rose back to her feet and her eyes automatically fell on Weiss, who had stayed behind, waiting for her, watchful and protective like a mother over her daughter. She smiled.  
  
"-and I chose mine. And I would never change them for the world. Farewell. Maybe one day we'll see each other again."  
  
And without another word, Ruby leapt on a sturdy branch and dissolved into a trail of red petals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think! :) :) :)

**Author's Note:**

> according to Google Translate, Weißer Ritter should translate to White Knight. I don't speak a word of German, unfortunately, and I have no choice to trust GT on this.  
>   
> In any case, this is my first RWBY fic ever! I'm still not too familiar with these characters - I'm quite new to the fandom, but it goes without saying that I immediately fell in love with it - and I sure hope I at least got something right! XD let me know what you think, I always welcome constructive feedback and criticism.  
>   
> Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading! :D


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